49ers To Acquire WR Keenan Allen

This deal will send Allen back to the West Coast, where the former California Golden Bear has played the majority of his 14-year NFL career. Aside from his half-season run in Indianapolis and 2024, which he spent in Chicago, Allen has played exclusively with the Chargers. He earned all six of his Pro Bowl nods and put together five 100-catch seasons with the Bolts.

Although Allen became the Chargers’ franchise leader in receptions during an 81-catch 2025, they allowed the 34-year-old to walk in free agency. He stayed on the market until the Colts gave him a one-year, $3.32MM deal in mid-August, and he got off to an inauspicious start off the field in Indianapolis.

Two weeks after he signed with the Colts, Allen was arrested on charges of DWI and DWI endangering a person. The Colts stuck by Allen, who did not have any off-field issues on his resume before the arrest, but he has since been formally charged with operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent of 0.15 or more and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Both charges are misdemeanors.

While Allen could face a suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, it may not come until 2027. In the meantime, the NFC-leading 49ers see little risk in giving up a late-round pick to bolster a banged-up receiving corps. Allen averaged a career-low 8.8 yards per grab in eight games in the Colts’ popgun passing offense, but having already pulled in 40 receptions, he remains a prolific pass catcher. Allen ranks seventh on the NFL’s all-time receptions list (1,095) and should climb at least a couple more spots this year.

For his part, Allen is likely pleased he is heading to San Francisco, as insider Jordan Schultz reports he hoped to join a contender before Tuesday’s trade deadline. He could help a 49ers club that has gotten off to a 7-1 start despite a slew of injuries at receiver. The health problems, which began when Ricky Pearsall underwent season-ending knee surgery in early August, have been nonstop throughout the campaign. Nevertheless, quarterback Brock Purdy has played like an MVP candidate.

Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk are among 49ers wideouts who have gone down with injuries in 2026. Evans, the 49ers’ No. 1 option, has not played since he left a Week 6 win over the Commanders with Achilles tendinitis. Samuel has missed three straight games with a hamstring injury, Stribling went on IR with a ligament sprain in his ankle after Week 1, and Robinson just returned from a five-game absence. Meanwhile, Kirk has already been on IR twice. The offseason free agent pickup sat out the 49ers’ first six games with a calf strain, and after debuting with a catch-less appearance in a loss to the Falcons in Week 7, he went right back to the shelf with a meniscus injury.

The 49ers’ Allen acquisition comes nine days after general manager John Lynch failed to reacquire wideout Jauan Jennings in a trade with the Vikings. Jennings turned down a reunion with the 49ers, who pivoted to Allen. They now have Allen, Evans, Samuel, Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing and Brandin Cooks taking up roster spots at the position.

The Allen trade is the second recent swap between these teams, as the 49ers previously reacquired defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the Colts in late October. Indianapolis, which is 2-7 and out of contention, has dealt Allen, Buckner and guard Quenton Nelson (to the Seahawks, the 49ers’ NFC West rivals) since Oct. 27.

The Colts have other trade candidates in running back Jonathan Taylor, receiver Josh Downs and D-tackle Grover Stewart. However, interim GM Ed Dodds is running out of time to move them before the 3 p.m. CT deadline.